Imagine a giant oil tanker leaving Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port… but instead of taking the usual short route, it turns south toward a narrow strait most people have never heard of.

In this episode, we explore why the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has quietly become one of the most critical — and dangerous — chokepoints on the planet. We look at how this tiny 29-kilometer-wide passage connects three continents, carries 12% of global trade and 10% of the world’s traded oil, and why even Saudi Arabia is now rerouting its tankers because of tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

From the domino effect between Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, to the real risks of attacks and blockages, the costly detour around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, and what it all means for oil prices and everyday life in Thailand — this is a calm, thoughtful look at the fragile arteries  ...